Beauty and the bus
by Ice Crystal
Summary: fieldtrip! If you can't take the ride get off the bus...


BEAUTY AND THE BUS  
  
DISCLAIMER.  
  
The characters and setting belong to J.K. Rowling (although I may have changed some to better fit the story.) the 'magic schoolbus' belongs to whomever it belongs too (foxkids, I think ?) Beauty and the beast belongs to so many people that it would take ages to write them all down.  
  
This story is about an ordinary day in their third year.  
  
Gray I know you'll silly slap me for dedicating this ridiculous thing to you, but I just did !  
  
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Harry and Ron were hurrying along the corridor to their Transfiguration lesson, as usual they were late… but when they got there, instead of a reprimand, they found that Professor McGonagall had not yet arrived. They had just taken their seats when she burst in the door.  
  
"Goodmorning class" Even though she sounded like her usual self, the students couldn't help staring. Professor McGonagall was wearing jangly earrings (that looked like mutated dogs with roses in their mouths) and instead of her prim black hat there was a monstrous animal (stuffed of course) surrounded by silk roses on her head.  
  
"Right" she said "Guess what's on the agenda today" Everyone were still trying to process the hat and earrings, so no one said a word. Finally Professor McGonagall grew tired of waiting and told them.  
  
"A fieldtrip! Now come on class, follow me" with that she walked to the door, turned and said "Single file please."  
  
When everyone was in the corridor Professor McGonagall took out her wand and held it stretched. A strange sort of dread filled Harry (who knew what was coming next). With a loud "boom!" the knight bus appeared. "Climb aboard class" said Professor McGonagall as the door swung open to reveal Stan and Ernie grinning like a pair of idiots.  
  
The bus was filled with noise, everyone ran around excitedly, Stan had his hands full trying to get them to take their seats, but in the end it was Professor McGonagall who restored order "Everybody lie down, now!"  
  
As soon as they were all nearly seated the knight Bus took of at its normal rackety fast pace. In next to no time they arrived at their destination and half the students, who were all feeling sick, hurried off the Bus (which had, at some point in the journey, acquired fur, fangs and a tail)  
  
When they were all present and accounted for again Professor McGonagall led them up the steps of a big gloomy castle, which was practically falling apart.  
  
"I didn't know we were going to Weasley's house for our fieldtrip" Said Draco maliciously.  
  
"You take that back Malfoy!" Ron was red with fury. Draco just pulled a face and stalked up the steps, with Crabbe and Goyle strutting right behind him like a pair of particularly ugly ducklings.  
  
Professor McGonagall led them up staircase after staircase through the Castle till they reached the top most floor. Everything in the room was broken except for a glass container with a rose in it.  
  
"Right" said Professor McGonagall "Who can tell me what this is?" she pointed at the container and without bothering to look up asked "Yes, Miss Granger?"  
  
Hermione lowered her hand (which had shot up so fast she had hit Ron in the nose) and said " It's an enchanted rose clock, I read about them in 'Curse your flora', when the last petal falls, something bad happens"  
  
"That's right dear. Now in cases like these there are two ways to lift the curse. One is to do exactly as the curse perimeter states, the other is with a spell which I shall teach you in a minute, please note that the first option is the only option the person whom is cursed has, he cannot spell away his own curse."  
  
Professor McGonagall saw a hand go up "Yes, Longbottom what is it?"  
  
"Please Professor McGonagall" Neville went all red as everyone looked at him "What are curse perimeters?"  
  
"Really Neville" she sounded disappointed in him "With curses of this tipe, certain perimeters are given. A way out if you will, that gives the victim a chance to mend his ways. For example in this case the victim was changed into a hideous beast because of his selfishness, if he does not learn to love and be loved in return he… Malfoy no!" Professor McGonagall had turned just in time to see Draco lift the glass from the rose. Suddenly there was a long howl and the sound of splintering wood as a giant thing (think of a cross between Wolverene, Lassie and that thing from Alien) burst through the wall and seized Malfoy by the neck.  
  
Professor McGonagall gave her wand a wave "Quick-est change-um!" there was a pooff sound and a lot of swirling dust. As the dust died down Harry and Ron started laughing, there on the floor next to an unconscious man, sat Draco (Or at least a big chi-wa-wa that resembled him)  
  
"WUFF! This isn't funny!" he screamed.  
  
"I agree Mister Malfoy " Professor McGonagall didn't look to pleased " Ten points of your houses to everyone who laughed"  
  
"What! Why? " Cried Ron  
  
"For laughing at another's misfortune." No one was happy about this but they knew she was right.  
  
"WHAT ABOUT ME?"  
  
"I'm coming to that, mister Malfoy" Professor McGonagall explained the spell she had did to them "Now, one at a time mind, try changing Malfoy and that man back" she thought a moment "best split into two groups. Griffindorf, try changing the man back into a beast and Slitherin you help Malfoy"  
  
When Draco was back to normal Professor McGonagall came over to him "You shouldn't have touched that rose Malfoy, it's very dangerous."  
  
"But you defeated it- " Draco began  
  
"Sometimes the wizard puts a failsafe on the curse to prevent tampering, there's no way to know if there is one except to do the spell. Had this been such a spell, Malfoy, you would be dead"  
  
"You knew !" he was getting a bit angry  
  
"Of course I knew, Malfoy. What I'm trying to tell you is, don't touch something till you're sure it's safe"  
  
"Well, I think you've all had enough for one day." She said in a louder voice "Back to the bus"  
  
They all walked out of the castle and tried not to get bitten by the bus when they got in (though the bus mostly just growled at them anyway.) And so they started their rough and tumble journey back to Hogwarts. Leaving the poor beast behind.  
  
The beast, feeling lonely and depressed, decided to leave too, he is currently scaring the living daylights out of a smalltime scientist and his daugter.  
  
Do you think if I try REALLY hard I could get any worse at this ? 


End file.
